Quoted Material

The PRESIDENT (14:22): Before I call on questions without notice, I have a short missive on quoting from media releases. Members, as you will be aware, it has become a recent concern of mine that some members, while answering questions without notice, have a practice of giving verbatim accounts of material that has been published in a media release issued by them. The principal object of question time is to illicit information from ministers about the public administration of the state, which would not ordinarily be published through other means.

When members asking questions, as well as ministers answering them, read verbatim from media releases they have already issued and do not introduce new matter that has not been publicly available, it is my view that it is not the best use of the chamber's time and does not support the purpose of question time. I therefore urge ministers and members to provide information to the chamber in a manner that enables members to be informed supplementary to already released statements. Failure to do so may result in a member being directed to take their seat.